Who is the Young Community?
The Young Community is a fantastic group of people aged 16-25 who have all had an Arts Emergency mentor.
Once you become 26, you are 'Alumni' and part of the Arts Emergency Network.
What can the Young Community access?
Our Community programme aims to create a community that can support each other.
We come together online and in person to share opportunities, resources, and build real connections, which encourage creative, personal, and professional growth in a supportive, inclusive space.
Tell me about some specific parts!
- Receive a monthly newsletter from the Youth Collective, plus a bonus opportunities bulletin
- Attend Community Socials, Assemblies and Side Quests to meet other people, visit new places and share your interests
- Get a new Community Buddy every summer
- Gain opportunities via our Opportunities board
- Participate in the WhatsApp Community and Discord server
Introducing the Youth Collective
The Youth Collective is a group of our Young Community members who meet regularly to develop their own advocacy, activism and community work, and ensure youth voice is at the centre of everything Arts Emergency does.
The Youth Collective is a representative group of 12 young people who work collaboratively to provide leadership for the Young Community. They ensure that young people’s views and voices are at the heart of everything we do, working closely with Arts Emergency to bring this to life through our Community programme.
We recruit new members of the Youth Collective every year in October/November so If you want to get more involved, look out for your chance to sign up in the monthly newsletter.
Community Socials, Side Quests & Assemblies
We host monthly in-person socials and online events for the Young Community to build connections, develop knowledge and skills, and have conversations about the creative and cultural industries. From hands-on workshops and collaborative conversations, to online chats with creative professionals, the events offer a variety of spaces for young people to come together.
Side Quests are one-off events, trips or exclusive sneak peeks provided to the Community via our Network.
We also host an annual series of Community Assemblies where we come together and discuss the big issues affecting us, how the industry needs to respond, and how Arts Emergency can support us.
These events are co-produced with and led by the Youth Collective, ensuring every event is responsive to the needs of the young people.
The Young Community Newsletter & Bonus Opportunities Bulletin
The Young Community newsletter is written by the Youth Collective and drops into your inbox on the 1st of every month offering optimism, ideas, and opportunities, and lots more. We'll also send a mini bulletin with special opportunities. This is our main way of staying in touch with you so make sure you're subscribed. If you want to change the email address we send the newsletter to, please get in touch.
The most useful aspect of the Arts Emergency support was those monthly newsletters. Every month I’m gearing myself up to see what new opportunities there are. Those links have (hopefully) changed my life.
Rowena, Young Community member
The Emergency Room Podcast
The Emergency Room is an ongoing online event series where members of the Youth Collective host open and honest conversations with professionals from across the creative world.
Members of the Young Community can join the conversations and contribute questions to the guests. Visit our dedicated webpage.
The Opportunities Board
Arts Emergency has a network of over 10,000 creatives across the UK (and beyond!). They share opportunities with us, to share with you. We share a link to the opportunities board in each monthly newsletter. These are constantly flowing in, so bookmark the page and return whenever you're looking for a new opportunity.
I’ve been able to have so much experience and opportunities I would never would’ve had without Arts Emergency, and I’ve also been able to create some connections and some networking, and I’ve been able to learn a lot about the industry I want to go into.
Mia, Young Community member
Our WhatsApp Community & Discord
The Youth Collective use WhatsApp to speak directly with the Young Community, share updates and gather ideas. The Discord server opens up conversation and collaboration across the Young Community.
Request a link via community@arts-emergency.org or check out the latest newsletter.
Community Buddies
Our Community Buddy scheme runs once a year, creating new pairings every summer for 18+ members of the Young Community.
You might be looking for someone to be friends and chat with, or someone to collaborate with, someone to work alongside or keep you accountable, or someone who's got your back no matter what.
Every relationship will be different!
